Big news in Dagabo!
OGV’s Mali Director Korotimi Haidara was awarded a Rotary grant to build an additional building in Dagabo so that Siraba School can expand to add three more grades! The grant provides for a new 3-room middle school building, additional latrines, and a new well to serve the school compound and garden.
Currently students who finish Siraba School must walk 16 kilometers to the closest middle school in Piébougou. The long daily walk has been a challenge, and has led to students dropping out before completing middle school. We are so proud of those who have finished, but know that having a middle school within Dagabo will greatly increase the completion rate, and the likelihood that students will then go on to high school or trade school. Numerous studies demonstrate the benefits of each additional year of schooling for girls – higher lifetime earning, later marriage, lower infant mortality rates. These benefits extend beyond the girls to their families and community.
We are so thankful for Koro’s long-time dedication to Siraba School and One Global Village’s many programs in Mali, and impressed and delighted by this extraordinary extra effort and incredible results. We are grateful to the partnerships she has formed within the Rotary community and of Rotary International’s selection of the Siraba School expansion for funding.
2023 School Year Update
The local team in Mali had many successes in 2023. The Siraba School teachers and school director, with guidance from Koro, School Coordinator Adama, and teaching mentor Abi, have built themselves into a thriving team of educators and role models. They designed a cooperative structure that enhances the school curriculum with regular art and music classes, year-round school garden that contributes to the school lunch program, after-school sports and dance, plus an ‘environmental committee’ responsible for maintaining the school grounds and buildings. Koro reports that the students are happy and productive, and have made good progress, particularly in reading and math.
Expanding Siraba School to middle school also means that older students will get the kind of support and programming provided to the current K-6 students – dedicated teachers, sufficient and grade-appropriate books, notebooks and supplies, daily lunch, opportunities for after-school arts, music, dance, sports. The Health Education program will continue in the middle school. We can’t wait to see how the middle school students will contribute to the school community, and how the teachers and school team will incorporate having the ‘big kids’ serve as role models and mentors. Perhaps the older students can help coach the new Scoop Soccer program and participate in the Djeneba garden. The future looks bright in Dagabo!
